Jiang Yueping heard the knock on the door, and his face immediately turned sour as if it were a stone in a latrine.
Hu Fangqin turned around and hurried to open the door.
Seeing Jiang Man standing alone outside the door, she felt somewhat puzzled, "Where's your husband?"
"Husband?" Jiang Man frowned.
"Wasn't he just downstairs? Why didn't you invite him up? Since he's arrived downstairs, why not come up and let us meet him?"
"He's not my husband," Jiang Man said coldly, not even wanting to enter the house and instead reached into her pocket, planning to have the agreement signed at the door.
"Not your husband? Then who is he? Manman, you've just gotten married; you can't be putting a green hat on your husband."
After all, they had accepted a betrothal gift of 880,000 from his family. If Jiang Man did something improper, they would have to return the dowry.
Now that the dowry was in their pockets, they naturally did not want to spit it back out.
"It's hot outside, come in, let's talk inside." Hu Fangqin understood Jiang Man's temperament and stopped at this point, not daring to say anything more.
It was indeed hot outside, especially in the old residential area with no elevators, only stairs.
Jiang Man had climbed the stairs, sweating profusely.
As soon as she walked in, Jiang Rou and Jiang Yueping both tacitly changed to a friendly face.
"Come, wash your hands, let's eat," Jiang Yueping said.
Jiang Man paused.
"Come, come, come." To her surprise, Hu Fangqin was even more enthusiastic, pulling her into the kitchen, pressing the hand soap dispenser for her, and turning on the tap.
For a moment, Jiang Man had an illusion.
Wasn't this the most ordinary of families? Yet it was also the happiest atmosphere.
Wasn't this the kind of atmosphere she once longed for?
"Not sure what you like to eat, so we just cooked according to our tastes. Manman, tell me what you like, and I'll cook it for you later," Hu Fangqin said.
"Anything is fine," Jiang Man said indifferently, being escorted to the dining table by Hu Fangqin.
"Manman, you are our daughter. No matter what happened before, let's leave it in the past," Jiang Yueping, with the dowry in mind, took the initiative to pour himself a glass of wine. "I'll drink this first in honor!"
Jiang Man said nothing, picked up the cup in front of her, and Jiang Rou hurriedly stood up to pour wine for her.
Jiang Man took a sip, just for show, and continued eating.
"Sister, let's respect our parents together in the future," Jiang Rou said with a beaming smile.
Jiang Man said nothing, her attitude as cold as ever.
Jiang Rou didn't seem to mind at all and continued with great enthusiasm, "Sis, how about that job you mentioned at the night market last time?"
"What job?" Jiang Yueping asked curiously.
"Brother Zhao's company is hiring security guards, offering a monthly salary of four thousand. Sis doesn't have an income source right now, and I thought this job would be quite suitable for her. After all, there's no educational requirement."
"That's really good news!" Jiang Yueping's eyebrows lifted in delight, looking at Jiang Man, "Your sister is really good to you."
Jiang Man sneered, fully aware of Jiang Rou's ill intentions.
If she really went to work at Zhao Family's company as a security guard, wouldn't she have to watch Jiang Rou strut around every day?
One a female security guard, the other the future mistress of the Zhao Family, and the two of them weren't even blood-related sisters.
This melodramatic script was enough for people to point fingers and laugh at her.
"Sister, you've put in the effort, and I appreciate the thought, but that four thousand yuan job of yours, it's not something I'm interested in," Jiang Man said coldly.
Jiang Yueping had been holding back his anger, but he was already quite upset. "Are you not clear about your own situation? No diploma, what can you do apart from odd jobs and dishwashing? Do you know how much those pay? A month, one or two thousand! I really don't know what you're being so proud about, turning up your nose at a four thousand yuan job!"
"Brother Ping, don't be angry; maybe Manman just isn't interested in being a security guard. After all, it's usually old men who work as guards; there aren't any young girls," Hu Fangqin quickly tried to smooth things over, wanting to calm her husband while not upsetting her own daughter and also not wanting to disappoint her foster daughter.
"But Manman, the job that Rourou introduced is really good—once this opportunity's missed, there won't be another one. For us women, having a bit of financial foundation is always good; otherwise, your husband's family will look down on you," Hu Fangqin said earnestly, looking every bit the considerate mother.
Jiang Man pulled at the corner of her mouth, "Mom, you can rest assured, I have another job."
"What job?" Hu Fangqin asked curiously.
"The details of the job have to be kept confidential," Jiang Man said indifferently.
"Confidential?" Jiang Rou said mockingly, "Sister, you're not part of the state secrets bureau, what job needs to be so mysterious?"
"You're right, it does indeed involve state secrets," Jiang Man said, her expression unchanged. She had originally intended to produce the disownment agreement, but now she changed her mind on a whim.
She reached into another pocket and took out the income certification that Major Xia had given her.
Jiang Rou furrowed her brow and unfolded the neat A4 paper.
When she saw the monthly salary of 100,000 indicated on the paper, stamped with the bank's seal, she simply couldn't believe it!
"A monthly salary of... 100,000? Sister, you must be joking, right?" Jiang Rou exclaimed with wide eyes.
Jiang Yueping and Hu Fangqin took turns examining the salary certificate, both feeling it was impossible!
"So, do you really think I would be interested in your crappy job with a monthly income of four thousand?" Jiang Man said sarcastically.
Jiang Rou's face flushed, feeling as if she had been slapped in the face.
Yet she still defiantly retorted, "Sister, is this certification real?"
"Mom, don't you have a friend who is a high-ranking officer at the central bank? Why don't you give her a call to confirm it? If sister really does have such a high income, we can rest assured, right?"
"You're right!" Hu Fangqin eagerly agreed.
If her own daughter was truly so capable, that would be a great joy!
Who would complain about their daughter making too little money?
In the future, if they were short on cash, they could always ask their daughter for some.
Thinking this, Hu Fangqin stood up, "I'll go to the room and make a call."
Jiang Man scoffed, her attitude nonchalant.
She suddenly felt that the dishes her parents made were nothing extraordinary after all.
Not as good as going out to eat, really.
"Sister, let's put the job aside for now, you're married to your husband, and we still don't know much about him," Jiang Rou said, ostensibly out of concern, but really to satisfy her own voyeuristic curiosity.
If Jiang Man's life was better than hers, she'd naturally be unhappy.
If it was worse, then she would be pleased!
"Is brother-in-law's circumstances as good as Zhao's?" Jiang Rou asked coaxingly.
Jiang Yueping snorted, "Rourou, what are you talking about? With Manman's standards, where can she find a man as outstanding as Xiao Zhao?"
"If he can give a betrothal gift of 880,000, his conditions shouldn't be too bad, right?" Jiang Rou said with deliberate teasing.
Jiang Yueping hummed, "Some people might only be able to earn 880,000 in their whole life!"
"Manman, I'm asking you, does your husband have a house? Where are you living now?"
What Jiang Man disliked most was her father's contemptuous attitude toward her.
"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, Dad. My husband is thirty this year, over six feet tall, and devilishly handsome. Not only attractive but also filthy rich! We're currently living in Rong Mansion, and he drives a Maybach."
"What?" A house and a car? And not just any house, not just any car?
"Sister, you can't blow your own trumpet like that; do you think you're in a TV drama? Cinderella meeting Prince Charming? Handsome and wealthy? More likely in your dreams!"
"Rourou, didn't Zhao just join the owners' group of Rong Mansion? Why not have him check it out and we'll know?"